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Way back in the 80s and 90s, BT workers were at risk of violent attacks due to the use of BT vehicles and engineering workers uniforms by the police to carry out under-cover operations and surveillance in high crime areas. Reported by the press and used in the plot of TV dramas, BT workers were too often faced with physical abuse and injury.
The scheme was unknown to the Union until two newspaper articles came to its attention: Daily Mirror Report 19.5.15: “Mail Watch” Pilot Scheme in Winchester (SO Postcode Area), and Reporting Suspicious Incidents and Crimes To Hampshire Police, Acting as The “Eyes and Ears” of the Community: CWU’s Dave Joyce condemned the publicity of the sheme and wrote to Royal Mail Group’s Director of Safety, Health & Wellbeing Shaun Davis, making it clear that the union was outraged at the total lack of any consultation on the scheme, and condemned the act of publicising the scheme in any shape or form.
Dear Shaun, Daily Mirror Report 19.5.15: “Mail Watch” Pilot Scheme in Winchester (SO Postcode Area) – Postmen and Women Now Reporting Suspicious Incidents and Crimes To Hampshire Police, Acting as The “Eyes and Ears” of the Community: Please see attached copy of a report which appeared in the Daily Mirror’s 19 May edition. This has been greeted with nothing short of shock horror and universal condemnation across the CWU. Because the CWU hasn’t been consulted, we can only go on what we read in the press and Royal Mail intranet article (see attached). My initial reaction is one of extreme concern regarding the irresponsibility of publicising such a scheme in the National press because of the risk this could potentially bring upon ordinary Postmen and Women, who are currently seen and accepted as neutral, friendly, innocent and harmless service providers and members of their local communities but, as a result of this scheme and the ill-thought publicity, could henceforth be regarded by miscreants and the criminal fraternity as a threat and a new arm of the Law, police agents, spies and informants who they may decide to mete out retribution, violence and abuse to.
However, we draw the line at giving the impression that Royal Mail has formalised arrangements with the Police for our members, ordinary Postmen and Women to go beyond that and make the wrong people think that Postal Workers are to become some kind of a ‘Plastic Police Force’ on some ‘Dads Army’ organisation basis. In the past I and our field force of Area Health and Safety Reps have had to deal with the aftermath of undercover Police Officers dressing up in Royal Mail Postmen’s Uniforms or Parcelforce Drivers Uniforms whilst undertaking raids and undercover work. In the aftermath, the consequences were Postal workers facing confrontations, threats and intimidation, in certain areas of the country, as criminals thought our members were the Police or were working on their behalf and these people had to be convinced otherwise in order to diffuse the situations. The article in the Daily Mirror could reignite those type of problems and lead to flare ups if this ‘Trial’ is taken further. Yesterday, I undertook extensive enquiries to find out just who Director of Security Tony Marsh had consulted on this scheme and found out that the answer was no one in respect of the obvious people that should have been consulted before launching the so called “Mail-Watch” scheme! I don’t know which operational people Tony Nick Burns Royal Mail Group Safety, Health and Environment Engagement Manager, from your team confirmed that the RMG Central Safety, Health and Wellbeing Team were not consulted as far as he knew. From the Region, Kerry Whiteford the Safety Health and Environment Advisor who covers the Winchester (SO) area knew nothing On the CWU side Brian Quensell our CWU Area Health and Safety Representative knew nothing about it and neither did the CWU Area Delivery Rep or the CWU Unit Reps from Winchester. Terry Jackson CWU Divisional Rep also wasn’t consulted and knew nothing about it. So from my enquiries I’ve found that your Central or Regional This is incredible, bearing in mind the possible implications and risks involved for Postal workers. We are trying to get our customers to keep their dogs under control and Royal Mail and the CWU Nationally, Regionally and Locally will continue to work together during the forthcoming ‘Dog Awareness Week” to Promote positive messages to customers and keep their dogs under control when the Postman or Woman This ‘Mail-Watch’ Trial needs to be brought to an end promptly and the ‘Mail-Watch’ scheme should go no further in its present form. There should not be any further publicity of the kind that appeared in the Daily Mirror two days ago. Those involved in setting this ‘Mail Watch’ project up and making it high profile in the press need to think carefully about what they’ve done here and how they’ve done it. They should answer the question as to why didn’t consult those they should have consulted. If they had done that, they would have received valid advice. I’m happy to meet to discuss this matter and look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Dave Joyce National Health, Safety & Environment Officer You can download the newspapers articles refered to in Word Source: Dave Joyce / Unionsafety |
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Now it seems, following the publicity of a Royal Mail scheme which has never seen consultation with the CWU, postal workers who already suffer the risks of severe injuries from dangerous dog bites are being placed at risk as they go about their lawful business of mail delivery; of reprisals and physical injuries from criminals.
The CWU has no problem what so ever with giving principled support to the police in their efforts to deal with crime and for everyone in society to play their part in a material way by reporting crime and assisting victims. 
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